Fecklessness Less

                               Grandmaster Wabu Young, with Great Grandmaster Wu Jianquan

          Wabu Young was the teacher of Master Stephen Hwa, who is my teacher   

Wu Jianquan was the Great Grandfather of Master Wu Kwong Yu (Eddie Wu was my teacher in Toronto Canada for a number of years and I became one of his first chosen disciples).  Wu Jianquan was an officer in the Chinese Imperial Palace Guard and taught the Guard along with Chinese Military.  Wu taught Young the "Small Circle" aka "Small Frame"  of which this Blog entails.  Although 5' 3" tall, Grandmaster Young was next in line for Master status of Gan Style Pek kwar Monkey boxing when he made the decision to study with Wu Jianquan (Wu Chien Chuan).  The study according to Grandmaster Young went on "night and day" at Young's home in Hong Kong, all of which took place during the years of Japanese invasion.

Correct Body Structure 

a video

 In my opinion: The sheer number and variety of styles, books, and videos with "feckless" talk on how to get "internal” in Tai Chi is a testament to the unfulfilled desperation of the search for it. What a great word: "feckless," and we can thank the Scottish and British for it (effects + less). In my opinion: Taking the time, as Master Stephen Hwa does in Classical Tai Chi, to explain how to "get it" shows that he cares about students, that they're important, and that what he wanted to communicate is also very important.  Master Stephen Hwa said his teacher Wabu Young could not understand why so many students are so feckless in their study of Tai Chi.

That is from many years of Tai Chi study, insights gained through observation, and an appreciation for the word "feckless," which I think fits this context perfectly. Meaning "lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible or ineffective," it accurately captures the hollow, superficial instruction that leaves so many practitioners feeling stuck.

The search for internal energy (Jin/Qi) in Tai Chi often turns into a wild goose chase because it is an internal sensation that cannot easily be seen from the outside. When teachers rely on vague, mystical, or "feckless" poetry without mechanical breakdowns, it leaves students in unfulfilled desperation.

Master Stephen Hwa, Ph.D (who while working for Xerox Corp. gained patents of his own on numerous mechanical devices) is highly regarded precisely because he demystifies the practice by focusing on:

• Internal Discipline: Breaking down the specific movements of the internal organs, spine, and core (specifically the Dan Tian).

• Logical Mechanics: Moving away from abstract mysticism and instead explaining the biomechanics, leverage, and muscle releases required actually to feel and apply internal power.

• Student-Centric Teaching: Spending the effort to articulate how to achieve these states, which proves a genuine dedication to preserving the art and respecting the student's time and energy.

By providing a clear, reproducible roadmap rather than leaving students to guess in the dark, teachers like him bridge the gap between "talking" about internal power and actually cultivating it.

I hope you are currently studying Classical Tai Chi, If you subscribe I can answer comments or questions and can help look into specific biomechanical concepts Master Hwa teaches, or look up instructional materials and breakdowns of his internal discipline techniques. What specific aspect of his teaching has resonated most with your practice?

"...it's not what we thought it was..."

 

A professor at Buffalo State University said after one Classical Tai Chi class, “...my wife and I will not be back; we thought it was easier to learn, it’s not what we thought it was...”.

They thought it was easy. It is not what you think it is. As a mindfulness practice, it is much more: 

Being completely open to whatever is happening in the present—good or bad, calm or difficult, easy to learn or different. It does not matter.

The point is to observe, nonjudgmentally, any sensations or what you might “think it is,” feel, or experience. That is the core of the practice.

Approaching Classical Tai Chi with that mindfulness mindset transforms it from a physical frustration into a deep mental exercise, which is the practice’s real point.

When people quit after one lesson because “it’s not what they thought,” they are reacting to a gap between anticipation and reality. Nonjudgmental observation turns that reaction into awareness, the core claim here.

The Power of Nonjudgmental Observation

Instead of grading the class by a preconceived idea of “fluidity” or “peace,” simply observe the rigid, blocky Square Form as it is.

If a posture feels awkward, confusing, or physically demanding, that sensation is not a failure of the class; it is present-moment data.

Recognizing that the practice feels “really different” without needing to fix it or walk away is where true psychological strength is built.

By treating the biomechanical puzzles of Classical Tai Chi as objects of awareness rather than obstacles to comfort, the student stops fighting the lesson and starts experiencing it. That is why the practice can feel very different at first.

Classical Tai Chi differs sharply from standard commercial Tai Chi, and that difference often creates mismatched expectations for beginners. This reaction appears when people encounter the Classical Tai Chi lineage. The practice emphasizes Wu-style "Small Circle" internal discipline rather than flowing, aesthetic choreography that seems “easy”.

Why Classical Tai Chi Subverts Expectations

Rigid Square Form:

Beginners start with a seemingly robotic, non-fluid "Square Form". It breaks actions into distinct blocks to isolate muscle groups. As a result, people expecting instant relaxation find it tedious, which helps explain the mismatch in expectations.

Movements come from the abdomen and spine, not the arms. This focus on micro-movement can feel restrictive or physically uncomfortable at first.

Commercial classes emphasize immediate stress relief and low-impact stretching. By contrast, Classical Tai Chi’s method functions like a slow, intricate biomechanical puzzle, so it does not match many beginners’ expectations.